Does oral health affect overall health?
When the gums are infected, periodontal bacteria byproducts can enter the blood stream and travel to major organs and set off other problems. Research suggests this may: contribute to the development of heart disease, the nations leading cause of death; increase the risk of stroke; increase a woman’s risk of having a preterm, low birth weight baby; and pose a serious threat to people whose health is compromised by diabetes, respiratory disease or osteoporosis.
